Marking device



---United States Patent Abrams et a1.

[ MARKING DEVICE [72] Inventors: Paul S. Abrams, Huntington Woods; Rudolph G. Peterson, Detroit, both of Mich.

[52] US. Cl. ..118/3, 401/148, 401/150 [51] Int. Cl ..B05c 1/00 [58] Field of Search ..118/3, 266; 401/150, 148

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,268,876 1/1942 Kagley ..1 18/3 51 Oct. 3, 1972 3/1936 Kinkade ..401/150 Primary Examiner.1ohn P. McIntosh Attorneyl-lauke, Gifiord and Patalidis 1 1 ABSTRACT A marking device having a housing with a reservoir of a liquid marking agent therein and a reciprocally mounted feed tube having its inner end extending into the reservoir and its outer end terminating in a marking nib externally of the housing is adapted to engage an article to mark the same with the liquid marking agent. The feed tube is reciprocal between an extended position and a retracted position; the feed tube being reciprocated toward the retracted position to transfer the liquid marking agent from within the reservoir to the marking nib during movement of the housing toward the article subsequent to the initial engagement of the -marking nib with the article.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MARKING DEVICE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuatiomin-part of application Ser. No. 817,371, filed Apr. 18, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,940.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention This invention relates to marking devices, and in particular to devices adapted to eject a selected amount of a liquid marking agent upon engagement with the article to be marked.

II. Description of the Prior Art In our aforementioned co-pending application a novel marking device useful in industrial applications for marking a series of metal articles or the like with a liquid marking agent is disclosed. This marking device comprises a housing for storing the liquid marking agent in a reservoir and includes a reciprocally mounted feed tube having its inner end extending into the reservoir and its opposite end terminating in a felt or similar nib. The feed tube is spring biased toward a normally extended position and is retracted during each marking stroke when the marking nib engages the article to be marked. During the retracting stroke, the feed tube engages a plunger fixedly mounted within the reservoir which pumps a charge of the liquid marking agent into the feed tube and through the marking nib to mark the engaged article.

Although the marking device of the aforementioned patent application provides certain new improvements, the present invention provides a marking device which is more compact, of a simpler construction, less expensive to manufacture and represents still another advance in the field of marking devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, which will subsequently be described in greater detail, comprises a housing having an internal reservoir for containing a supply of a liquid marking agent in communication with the inlet of a feed tube passage whose outlet terminates in a marking nib mounted externally of the housing. The feed tube is reciprocally mounted within the housing between an extended position in which the inlet of the feed tube passage is in communication with the reservoir and a retracted position caused by the engagement of the nib with the article to be marked whereby the feed tube is reciprocated inwardly into the housing wherein the inlet of the feed tube passage engages a piston fixedly mounted within the reservoir. Continued movement of the feed tube relative to the housing in which it is mounted pressurizes the charge of the liquid within the feed tube passage a sufficient amount so as to eject a quantity of the marking agent through the nib to mark the engaged article. A biasing element contained within the housing urges the feed tube to its extended position when the nib is disengaged from the article.

A spring bias check valve within the feed tube passage is adapted to prevent communication between the feed tube passage inlet and the marking nib in the absence of pressure at the feed passage inlet. The check valve is opened by pressure created by the engagement of the piston with the feed passage inlet and is provided with passages so arranged that it has selfcleaning characteristics similar to those disclosed with respect to the check valve means in our aforementioned patent application.

In the preferred embodiment, the housing of the marking device is slidably carried within a tubular member and is adapted for reciprocal movement to and away from the article to be marked by an actuating member. The amount of the liquid marking agent ejected is a function of the relative movement between the marking device and the tubular member subsequent to engagement with the article to be marked. Means disposed between the actuating member and the marking device housing control the amount of relative movement.

In the second embodiment, marking of the article is accomplished manually.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved marking device which is simple in operation and construction.

Other objects, advantages, and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the accompanying description of several examples of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The descriptions herein refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal partially sectioned view of one example of a marking device embodying the present invention with the feed tube thereof disengaged from an article to be marked;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional top view of the marking device illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the feed tube thereof engaged with the article;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal partially sectioned view of another example of a marking device embodying the present invention with the feed tube thereof disengaged from the article to be marked; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the marking device illustrated in FIG. 3 showing the marking nib thereof in engagement with the article.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a preferred marking device 10 comprising a cylindrical housing 11 having an apertured cover 12 secured to the forward end thereof by screws 13. A support plate 14 is sandwiched between the forward end of the housing 11 and the cover 12 and is provided with a guide bore 16 in which a feed tube 18 is reciprocally mounted in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter. The housing 11 is slidably mounted within a longitudinal bore 20 of a tubular member 22 which, in turn, is fixed to the forward end of a support base 24, while an air operated cylinder 26, that is axially aligned with the tubular bore 20, is mounted at the rear end of the support base 24. The support base 24 is adapted to be fastened proximate an article 25 which is desired to be marked with a liquid marking agent.

The air operated cylinder 26 is of a conventional type having a piston member 33 mounted therein for reciprocal movement in response to fluid pressure admitted through forward and rearward inlet ports (not shown). An actuating rod 32 connected to the piston member 33 of the air cylinder 26 is coupled to a stem 34 carried at the rearward end of the housing 11. The stem 34 has an enlarged end 36 positioned within a recess 38 and retained therein by a cover plate 40 and screws 42. A sufficient amount of clearance space 37 is provided between the enlarged end 36 and the cover plate 40 to permit a limited amount of radial movement to compensate for any eccentricity between the axis of the bore 20 and the axis of the actuating rod 32. The stem 34 has a threaded bore 44 which is engaged by a threaded section 46 formed on the forward end of the connecting rod 32. Nut 48 threaded on the end of the connecting rod 32 limits the amount of engagement between the stem bore 44 and the connecting rod threaded section 46.

If pressurized air is communicated to the rearward inlet port of the air cylinder 26, the piston therein will move to the forward end of the cylinder driving the connecting rod 32 to the left as viewed in FIG. 1, and thus the housing 11 will be moved toward the forward end of the tubular member 22. When fluid pressure is communicated to the forward inlet port of the air cylinder 26, the piston therein will move toward the rear of the air cylinder 26 carrying the connecting rod 32 to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, which in turn moves the housing 11 toward the rear end of the tubular member 22. By varying the amount of engagement of the connecting rod 32 with the threaded bore 44, the distance that the housing 11 extends beyond the forward end of the tubular member 22 may be varied for a purpose which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Since the air operated cylinder 26 is of the conventional type and is commercially available, a further detailed description thereof is not necessary.

The housing 11 of the marking device has a stepped bore 50 in which a piston 52 is fixedly mounted. The enlarged forward end of the stepped bore 50 and the annular space between the piston 52 and the decreased portion of the stepped bore 50 form a reservoir 54 which contains the liquid marking agent. The reservoir 54 is replenished by an external reservoir indicated schematically at 56 through an inlet piping 57 that extends upwardly from the housing 11 through a slot 58 in the tubular member 22. As can be best seen in FIG. 2, slot 58 extends the full longitudinal length of the tubular member 22, thus the piping 57 is free to reciprocate back and forth along the length of the tubular member 22 as the housing 11 is reciprocated by means of the air cylinder 26, as hereinbefore described.

The feed tube 18 is axially slidably mounted through the apertured cover 12 and the support plate 14 for reciprocal movement between extended and retracted positions with respect to a forward end 60 of the piston 52. The feed tube 18 comprises an outer enlarged section 62 and an inner section 64, the two sections being threadedly engaged at 66. The outer section 62 has an axial feed passage 68 extending through its length and terminating at its outer end in a porous felt nib 70 which is adapted to receive the liquid marking agent delivered through the feed passage 68. The inner section 64 of the feed tube 18 has a feed passage 72, the inner end of which forms an inlet 73 which is in communication with the reservoir 54 when the feed tube 18 is in the extended position as illustrated in FIG. 1. Downstream of the inlet 73, a decreased section 74 of .the passageway 72 forms a conically shaped valve seat 76 on which a conical end 78 of a floating cylindrical shaped valve member 80 is normally seated. The particular shape of the valve member 80 and the valve seat 76 produces a self-cleaning action during movement of the valve member 80 in the same manner as the similar valve means of our aforementioned patent application. The valve member 80 has an internal passage 82 which is opened at its downstream end 84 with the feed passage 68. The passage 82 is connected at its upstream end to the feed passage 72 by transverse passages 86. The valve member 80 is movable between an upstream position wherein it is seated on the valve seat 76 to close communication between the feed passage inlet 73 of feed passage 72 and that portion of the feed passage 72 downstream of the valve seat 76; and, an open position in which the downstream end 84 of valve 80 abuts the inner end of the enlarged section 62 such that the path of fluid communication betweenthe feed passage inlet 73 and the nib is through the decreased diameter portion 74, the transverse passages 86, the internal passage 82 of the valve member and the axial passageway 68 of the enlarged section 62. The valve member 80 is unseated and positioned in its downstream position when pressure acts on the conically shaped end 78 in a manner to be described hereinafter. A spring 88 positioned within an enlarged portion 79 of the axial bore 68 and internal passageway 82 biases the valve member 80 toward its upstream position wherein the conical end 78 seats against the valve seat 76 to close communication between the feed passage inlet 73 and that portion of the feed passage 72 downstream of the valve seat 76.

When the marking nib 70 is not engaged with the article 25, the feed tube 18 is maintained in the extended position illustrated in FIG. 1 by means of a spring 90 disposed around the piston 52 between the inner end of the feed tube 18 and a shoulder 92 formed on the piston 52.

When it is desired to mark the article 25 with the liquid marking agent, pressurized air is admitted to the rearward inlet port of the air cylinder 26 to cause the piston therein to move to the left (as viewed in the drawings) so as to carry the actuating arm 32 and thus the marking device housing 11 to the left and toward the article 25. As the marking nib 70 engages the article 25, its forward movement ceases and a relative movement between the feed tube 18 and the housing 11 commences as the actuating arm 32 is still moving the housing 11 leftwardly. As the housing 11 moves toward the article 25 and the feed tube 18 moves inwardly with respect to the housing 11, the forward end 60 of the piston 52 moves into the feed passage inlet 73 to pressurize the charge of the liquid marking agent within the feed passage 72 to generate a force of sufficient magnitude to lift the valve member 80 off the valve seat 76 against the bias of the spring 88. The charge of liquid marking agent within the feed passage 72 flows through the passages 86 and 82 of the valve member 80 and is delivered under pressure into the axial passageway 68 to supply liquid to the marking nib 70 and thus mark the article 25.

When pressurized fluid is admitted to the forward inlet port of the air cylinder 26 to return the piston to the rear end of the cylinder 26 and thereby drive the actuating rod 32 and housing 11 rearwardly away from the article 25, the spring 90 within the housing 11 returns the feed tube 18 to its extended position as the marking nib 70 disengages from the article 25. The inlet 73 fills again with liquid marking agent in preparation for the next marking stroke. The amount of the liquid marking agent transferred from the inlet 73 to the marking nib 70 and thus from the marking nib 70 to the article will be a function of the stroke of the piston forward end 60 in the feed passage inlet 73, which in turn may be varied by the amount of engagement between the connecting rod 32 and the stem bore 44 as the same controls the amount that the marking nib 70 extends beyond the forward end of the tubular member 22 in the extended position.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings for a description of a second embodiment of the present invention, there is illustrated a hand-operated marking device 100 having an elongated tubular housing 102 threadably engaged to a forward end section 104 which in turn has an apertured cover 106 secured thereto by screws 108. A feed tube 110 extends through the apertured cover 106 and a guide bore 112 within the forward end section 104 and is reciprocal between ex- .tended and retracted positions in which a feed passage inlet 73 cooperates with the forward end 114 of a piston element 116 fixedly secured within the housing 102.

The feed tube 110 is similar in form and function to the feed tube 18 disclosed hereinbefore and thus like components therein are referred to by the same numetals.

The piston element 116 is fixedly secured to a support member 1 18 which, in turn, is fitted within a portion of the interior of the housing 102. The support member 118 separates the housing 102 into forward and rear reservoirs 119 and 120, the forward reservoir 119 being in fluid communication with the rear reservoir 120 by means of axial passageways 121. The forward and smaller reservoir 119 contains the piston element 116 and the forward end of the feed tube 110, while the substantially larger rear reservoir 120 contains a replenishing supply of a liquid marking agent. A threaded screw 122 at the rear end of the housing 102 permits the replenishing of the larger reservoir 120 as required. Thus, the marking device 100 is completely self-contained and adapted to be carried manually and operated without the use of an exterior supply reservoir.

FIG. 3 illustrates the marking device 100 with the feed tube in its normal extended position in which a spring 124 disposed between the inner end of the feed tube 110 and the piston support 118 biases the feed tube 110 forwardly such that the piston element 116 is spaced from the inlet 73 of the feed passage 72. When use of the device 100 is desired, the user thereof grasps the housing 102 and engages the article 25 to mark the 7 same with the nib 70. When the nib 70 is brought into contact with the article 25 and a sufficient force is exerted upon the housing 102 to cause relative movement between the feed tube 110 and the housing 102. The feed tube 110 is retracted into the housing 102 against the force of spring 124 until the piston end 114 is moved into the feed passage inlet 73 to trap a charge of the liquid marking agent therein, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thereafter the feed tube 110 functions in thesame manner as the feed tube 18 as described hereinbefore in the description of the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2. After the article 25 has been marked and the marking device is disengaged therefrom, the spring 124 exerts a sufficient force against-the feed tube to return the same to its extended position, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

It is to be understood that although we have described two embodiments of our invention, various changes and revisions can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as our invention is as follows:

1. A device for marking an article with a liquid marking agent comprising:

a housing having a liquid reservoir for containing said liquid marking agent;

feed means mounted to said housing and actuating means mounted on a common support member with said housing, said actuating means axially moving said feed means and said housing to bring said feed means into engagement with an object to be marked, said feed means being mounted to said housing for axial, reciprocal movement with respect to said housing whereby, upon said feed means being brought into engagement with an object to be marked and continued movement of said housing and said feed means, said feed means will be moved axially intosaid housing;

means biasing said feed means toward an extended position with respect to said housing;

said feed means having a feed passage with an inlet to said reservoir for receiving said liquid marking agent, an outlet for discharging said liquid marking agent from said feed passage, a marking nib communicating with said outlet for receiving liquid marking agent from said outlet and piston means in said feed passage operable to move relative to and within said feed passage to deliver liquid marking agent under pressure to said outlet upon said feed means being moved inwardly relative to said housing, the amount of liquid marking agent dispensed through said outlet being dependent upon the stroke of said piston means;

coupling means connecting said housing and said actuating means; and

said coupling means including stroke varying means for adjusting the relative axial position of said feed passage and said actuating means to thereby adjust the stroke of said piston means.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 and in which said housing is mounted on said common support member and said housing is reciprocal from a retracted position to an extended position, said nib being in engagement with the object to be marked when said housing is in said extended position, said stroke varying means comprising means for adjusting the relative axial position of said housing and said common support member.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 and in which said housing is mounted on said common support member and said housing is reciprocal from a retracted to an extended position, said nib being in engagement with the object to be marked when said housing is in said extended position, said actuating means comprising a fluid operated cylinder having pressure responsive stroke varying means comprises means for axially adjusting the coupling between said arm and said housing.

5. The device as defined in claim 1, including check valve means disposed in said feed passage upstream of said nib, said check valve means being operable to open communication through said feed passage when said feed means is moved toward a retracted position, and to close communication through said feed passage when said feed means is moved toward said extended position.

6. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said liquid reservoir comprises an elongated tubular section symmetrically formed about the axis of motion of said feed means. 

